APARTMENTS

Anapartment(inAmerican English) or aflat(inBritish English) is a self-containedhousingunit (a type of residentialreal estate) that occupies only part of abuilding.

Such a building may be called anapartment building,apartment house(in American English),block of flats,tower block,high-riseor, occasionallymansion block(in British English), especially if it consists of many apartments forrent. In Scotland it is often called atenement, which has a pejorative connotation elsewhere.

The termapartmentis favored inNorth America(althoughflatis used in the case of a unit which is part of a house containing two or threeunits, typically one to a floor) and also is the preferred term inIreland.

The termflatis commonly, but not exclusively, used in the United Kingdom,Singapore,Hong Kongand mostCommonwealthnations.

InMalaysian English,flatoften denotes a housing block of lesser quality meant for lower-income groups, whileapartmentis more generic and may also include luxurycondominiums.

This usage has also been appearing in British English whereapartmentis used to denote expensive 'flats' in exclusive and expensive residential areas in, for example, parts of London such asBelgraviaandHampstead.